The Widow of Pale Harbor - by Hester Fox (Paperback)

About the Book

Gabriel Stone is desperate to escape the ghosts that haunt him in Massachusetts after his wife's death, so he moves to Maine, taking a position as a minister in the remote village of Pale Harbor. But not all is as it seems in the sleepy town. Strange, unsettling things have been happening, and the townspeople claim that only one person can be responsible: Sophronia Carver, a reclusive widow who must be a witch.

Book Synopsis

A town gripped by fear. A woman accused of witchcraft. Who can save Pale Harbor from itself?

Maine, 1846. Gabriel Stone is desperate to escape the ghosts that haunt him in Massachusetts after his wife's death, so he moves to Maine, taking a position as a minister in the remote village of Pale Harbor.

But not all is as it seems in the sleepy town. Strange, unsettling things have been happening, and the townspeople claim that only one person can be responsible: Sophronia Carver, a reclusive widow who lives with a spinster maid in the eerie Castle Carver. Sophronia must be a witch, and she almost certainly killed her husband.

As the incidents escalate, one thing becomes clear: they are the work of a twisted person inspired by the wildly popular stories of Mr. Edgar Allan Poe. And Gabriel must find answers, or Pale Harbor will suffer a fate worthy of Poe's darkest tales.

Hester Fox comes to writing from a background in the museum field as a collections maintenance technician. This job has taken her from historic houses to fine art museums, where she has the privilege of cleaning and caring for collections that range from paintings by old masters to ancient artifacts to early-American furniture. She is a keen painter and has a master's degree in historical archaeology, as well as a background in medieval studies and art history. Hester lives outside Boston with her husband.

Delve into the magical power of flowers in Hester Fox's captivating new novel, THE BOOK OF THORNS, where long-lost sisters reunite on opposite sides of the Napoleonic Wars and must uncover the secrets of their mother's disappearance and their mystical powers...

Look for these other gothic mysteries from Hester Fox:

• The Last Heir to Blackwood Library
• The Witch of Willow Hall
• The Orphan of Cemetery Hill
• A Lullaby for Witches

Review Quotes

"The Witch of Willow Hall offers a fascinating location, a great plot with history and twists, and characters that live and breathe. I love the novel, and will be looking forward to all new works by this talented author!" -Heather Graham, New York Times bestselling author

"Beautifully written, skillfully plotted, and filled with quiet terror... Perfect for fans of Simone St. James and Kate Morton." -Anna Lee Huber, bestselling author of the Lady Darby mysteries

"The Witch of Willow Hall will cast a spell over every reader." -Lisa Hall, author of Tell Me No Lies and Between You and Me

"I was entranced by this intriguing and spellbinding novel... I hope Hester Fox goes on to write many more such novels-I for one will be buying them." -Kathleen McGurl, author of The Girl from Ballymor

"This compelling story had me gripped from the first page. The vividly drawn characters cast their spell so convincingly, I couldn't stop reading until I discovered what happened to them. A wonderful debut novel." -Linda Finlay, author of The Flower Seller

"Steeped in Gothic eeriness, it's spine-tingling and very atmospheric. I love the character of Lydia and the way she learns and grows into her powers." -Nicola Cornick, USA TODAY bestselling author of House of Shadows

"The Witch of Willow Hall is so spookily good I felt haunted by it. Totally obsessed with Lydia's story... I absolutely loved it from start to finish." -Sarah Bennett, author of the Lavender Bay series

"A creepy estate, juicy scandal, family secrets, ghosts and a handsome yet mysterious suitor make this a satisfying and quietly foreboding tale." -BookPage

"Fox spins a satisfying debut yarn that includes witchcraft, tragedy, and love... The inclusion of gothic elements adds a visceral feel that fans of historical fiction with a dash of the supernatural will enjoy." -Publishers Weekly